Meetings watch: Board of Education

At the Portales Municipal Schools Board of Education meeting Tuesday in the Administration Building, board members:

Presented the board vice president Antonio Sanchez Jr. with the New Mexico School Board Association Leadership Achievement Award and Exemplary Award.

Presented board member Inez Rodriguez with the New Mexico School Board Association Exemplary Award.

Announced that Portales Municipal Schools received the second place Pacesetter Award from the United Way.

Spoke with New Mexico state representative, Dennis Kintigh, R- District 57, about his views on education.

Heard program reports from Federal Programs and Special Student Services.

Henry Montano gave a report about the Federal Programs. The final allocation for the title I federal grant for 2011-2012 is about $1 million. The original budget was reduced from $1.1 million in March. The carryover from last year's budget was $320,000. The allocation is based on the U.S. Census. The school district will receive the title I grant on April 16.

Jackie Burns gave a report from Special Student Services. They plan to have a school psychologist two days per week to replace the local psychologist. They have purchased 50 iPads and applications for student use and plan to purchase 20 more next year. Special Student Services also had 25 additional training opportunities this past year including curriculum, and law related issues. There are 560 special education students in the school district.

Approved a redistricting proposal that caused the minimal amount of change of three proposed redistricting options.

Approved out-of-state travel for the Portales High School Band drum majors and members of the 2012-2013 band leadership team to attend the leadership camp at Texas A&M University-Commerce in Commerce, Texas.

Accepted gifts and donations of $550 to the Portales High School for restitution for long ago theft. The donor was anonymous; of a scoreboard for the Portales High School softball field from Tom Landry.